On the Margins of the Opéra Comique: Jewish Composers, Covert Spaces, and the Legacy of the Wagnerian Suppression

October 28, 2016 @ 8:00 pm - 9:30 pm

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Metropolitan Opera mezzo-soprano Rebecca Ringle joins fortepianist Kenneth Merrill in our season opener concert, distilling the public splendor of the opera house for the private intimacy of the recital.

The glittering salons of mid-19th century Paris played host to several Jewish composers who enjoyed dizzying success at the nearby Opéra Comique before falling into disfavor as targets of Richard Wagner’s antisemitic screeds. Fromental Halévy, Giacomo Meyerbeer, and Jacques Offenbach, among others penned songs that were enjoyed by friends and patrons alike in private gatherings far away from the operatic stages.

Special thanks to Klavierhaus for the use of their restored 19th century Pleyel for this performance.

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